NFL Draft: Super Six Packers Prospects at Tight End
GREEN BAY, Wis. – The Green Bay Packers enter the 2023 NFL Draft with a major need a tight end. Or tight ends.
Sure-handed Robert Tonyan, who finished third on the team in receptions in his comeback season from a torn ACL, signed with the Chicago Bears in free agency. Sage veteran Marcedes Lewis, the ageless doer of the dirty work, remains unsigned.
Only two tight ends on the roster have played in a game. Combined, Josiah Deguara (13 catches) and Tyler Davis (four) caught 17 passes in 2022.
For the first time in a long time, the draft offers a buffet of quality tight ends. There’s no true No. 1 prospect, a scout said. It’s all in what a team is looking for.
Given the strength of Green Bay’s perimeter run game, it might covet a high-quality blocker, such as Georgia’s Darnell Washington. Given the need to help first-time starting quarterback Jordan Love, it might covet a polished receiver such as Utah’s Dalton Kincaid. Or, maybe it will want the best of both worlds with Notre Dame’s Michael Mayer.
Here are our top six prospects, all of whom could be off the board in the top 50 picks, the scout said. The analytical stats are from Pro Football Focus and Sports Info Solutions.
1. Michael Mayer, Notre Dame
All photos by USA Today Sports Images
Measureables: 6-4 1/2, 249 pounds, 10 1/4 hands. 4.70 40, 4.44 shuttle, 7.62 RAS.
Stats and accolades: Mayer caught 180 passes for 2,099 yards and 18 touchdowns in three seasons, making him the most prolific tight end in the rich history of Notre Dame football. After catching 71 passes for 840 yards and seven touchdowns in 2021, he hauled in 67 passes for 809 yards and nine touchdowns in 2022 en route to being a consensus first-team All-American and one of three finalists for the Mackey Award as the nation’s top tight end.
Analytical stats: Of 31 tight ends in the 2023 draft class to be targeted at least 28 times in the passing game, he ranked first with 2.44 yards per route run and 14th with a drop rate of 5.6 percent. He was 17-for-26 in contested-catch opportunities – first in catches and fourth in percentage. He caught 8-of-11 passes thrown 20-plus yards downfield, ranking No. 1 in catches and catch percentage (minimum four targets). He forced a missed tackle on 21 percent of his catches and averaged 4.9 yards after the catch. Oddly, he was among the most difficult to tackle but in the bottom third in YAC. In the run game, his blown-block percentage was 0.5.
Does he fit?: Mayer is the best all-around tight end in the draft. There isn’t a three-down tight end as NFL-ready, a true plug-and-play starter.
“I'd say my receiving” is his best trait, Mayer said at the Scouting Combine. “Look, I can block anybody you need me to block, but I feel like my red zone, my third down, I can really go up and get that ball. I can make contested catches and I can really route people up. So, I can have that connection with that quarterback, also. He knows where I'm going to be. He knows how I'm going to run my route, and I know where that quarterback is going to be putting that ball.”
NFL Draft Bible says: A rare blend of size, athleticism, toughness and pure natural talent, Mayer is the definition of prototype at the tight end position. Mayer forces opposing defenders to make business decisions with the ball in his hands, as he runs at them like a Mack truck. The team captain brings a ferocious intensity and is a notorious hard worker.
Personal touch: In 24 games during his final two seasons in South Bend, Mayer led all FBS tight ends with 138 receptions for 1,649 yards and 16 touchdowns. He quickly earned the nickname “Baby Gronk.”
“We have a hell of a tight end (and) we want to feature him,” Notre Dame offensive coordinator Tommy Rees said. “There’s something to say about the way he works, the tenacity he plays with, the edge he plays with. Obviously, he’s extremely talented, but there’s a reason why he’s a great player. The mentality is there.”
The fathers of Mayer and longtime NFL standout and former Notre Dame tight end Kyle Rudolph are friends. That led to Rudolph mentoring Mayer.
“There aren't many of those guys in football these days," Rudolph said of three-down tight ends. “(There’s) a lot of specialty-type tight ends, and (Mayer) is kind of that old-school build body type and he can do it all.”
He was one of a few college tight ends who participated in George Kittle’s Tight End U. "It's been great,” Mayer told Irish Sports Daily. “I went there and I'm like, 'Dang, there is stuff I need to work on.' I'm out here thinking I'm pretty good and I go train with them and there are things I need to work on.”
Mayer comes from a family of athletes. Older brother A.J. was a senior quarterback at Arkansas State in 2022. His father, Andy, played football at Miami (Ohio). A cousin, Luke Maile, is a Major League catcher. Grandfather Dick Maile was a star basketball player at LSU.
His road to the NFL’s first round almost didn’t happen. “He almost didn’t play high school football, which is crazy to think about,” Covington (Ky.) Catholic coach Eddie Eviston said. It was Andy Mayer who made it happen. “Andy, the dad, he called me one day,” freshman coach Ted Edgington told Notre Dame Insider, “and he says, ‘Hey, I really want Michael to play football, but he’s just only interested in basketball. Can you call him and talk to him about it? See if he’ll come out and play.’”
2. Dalton Kincaid, Utah
Measureables: 6-3 5/8, 246 pounds, 10 1/4 hands. No workouts (back).
Stats and accolades: After two years at San Diego, Kincaid transferred to Utah. He had a monster final season with 70 receptions for 890 yards (12.7 average) and eight touchdowns to earn third-team All-American. He had one of the all-time great games by catching all 16 targets vs. USC for 234 yards. Between the two schools, he was the FBS leader among tight ends with 2,484 career receiving yards and 35 career receiving touchdowns.
Analytical stats: Of 31 tight ends in the 2023 draft class to be targeted at least 28 times in the passing game, he ranked second with 2.42 yards per route run and fourth with a drop rate of 2.8 percent. He was 9-of-18 in contested-catch opportunities and caught 6-of-11 passes thrown 20-plus yards downfield. He forced a missed tackle on 29 percent of his catches and averaged 5.7 yards after the catch. In the run game, his blown-block percentage was 2.7 – worst in the class.
Does he fit?: Kincaid will immediately replace Robert Tonyan’s production and offer a significant amount of upside. He’s a below-average blocker but the willingness is there, a scout said.
“I think I'm one of the best pass catchers there is, not only in the tight end position but kind of just in this draft,” he said at the Scouting Combine. “Obviously, I think that's my biggest strength. I think I'm developing as a blocker and I kind of only have room to grow in that aspect of my game.”
NFL Draft Bible says: Kincaid lacks elite agility, burst, play strength, and speed, but his reliable hands, ball skills, savvy route running, improving blocking, and nonexistent fear of contact make him an attractive high-floor player who should hear his name called on the second day of the draft.
Personal touch: Kincaid played only one year of high school football. It’s not that Kincaid was new to the sport, though. As a kid, he’d bounce on the family trampoline, with his father tossing footballs over the protective net.
“We had a trampoline in my backyard so I would dive and catch the balls he threw to me,” Dalton explained to Pac-12.com. “Three drops and we were done, but the better I got at catching that became two drops, then one drop.”
In the world of college recruiting, a player’s junior season is the most important. Since Kincaid didn’t play until he was a senior, he didn’t receive a single scholarship offer. Thus, Kincaid landed at San Diego – a nonscholarship, FCS program.
“Some of the coaches pulled me aside and said, what do you want to do with this? Do you want to pursue this as a career later on?” Kincaid told NBC San Diego. “I didn’t expect to play. I thought I was going to redshirt and do the normal route, as most freshmen do. Getting playing time and being effective I just fell in love with football more and more as the season went on.”
Kincaid didn’t go through predraft testing. A back injury – one that didn’t require surgery – meant a premature end to his college career. He’s been cleared by doctors and will be ready for OTAs.
“Honestly, it’s more for my dad. He enjoys it a lot more,” Kincaid said of the hype at pro day. “If I was to go in the first round, I think it would be awesome,” he said. “I think it would be a great reflection of this program. That would mean the most to me — reflecting coach (tight ends coach) Freddie Whittingham, coach (Kyle) Whittingham and coach (Andy) Ludwig and what they’ve all sacrificed and done to get me in this position. If anything, I’d be super-grateful to have that opportunity, so they carry that with them, as well.”
3. Darnell Washington, Georgia
Measureables: 6-6 5/8, 264 pounds, 11 hands. 4.64 40, 4.08 shuttle, 9.88 RAS.
Stats and accolades: Washington caught 45 passes for 774 yards (17.2 average) and three touchdowns in three seasons. With future NFL first-round tight end Brock Bowers, the Mackey Award-winning tight end, commanding most of the targets in the passing game, Washington was a bit of an afterthought but still caught 28 passes for 454 yards (16.2 average) and two touchdowns in 2022.
Analytical stats: Of 31 tight ends in the 2023 draft class to be targeted at least 28 times in the passing game, he ranked sixth with 1.77 yards per route run and 16th with a drop rate of 6.7 percent. He was 2-for-5 in contested-catch opportunities and caught 3-of-6 passes thrown 20-plus yards downfield. He forced a missed tackle on 18 percent of his catches and averaged 7.2 yards after the catch, fourth-best. In the run game, his blown-block percentage was 0.5.
Does he fit?: If Notre Dame’s Michael Mayer is the best three-down tight end in the draft, Washington could become that in a couple years if his receiving skills catch up to his blocking skills.
“I feel like I feel like I got lots of untouched talent when it comes to that area,” Washington said of being a receiver. ‘In high school, I was getting the ball like 60 times a season. So, going from there to coming to college, not so much in that area. So, I feel like when I tap into that potential, I feel like it's going to be crazy to see.”
NFL Draft Bible says: Washington has a massive frame with ideal functional strength that gives him an advantage over most opponents. He appears to have exceptional arm length, which contributes to his commanding profile as a blocker. As a receiver, displays good concentration at the catch point and adjusts to the ball over and around defenders.
Personal touch: Washington is the big man on campus and he’s willing to throw a block party: Wearing No. 0, Washington was listed at 6-foot-7 and 270 pounds.
“The combination of the athleticism and displacement, there are probably none” to compare Washington to at the position, Georgia coach Kirby Smart said. “We had some guys when I was at Alabama, (such as) Michael Williams, that were big, more blocking guys, offensive tackle type guys. He has a receiving skillset that is unique, combined with that size.”
That talent didn’t come without work. A five-star recruit, Washington was a catch-first player coming out of Las Vegas. The emergence of Bowers turned Washington into a “role player,” as he told Dawg Nation.
“You go back to my high school film, I didn’t block, I was a receiver. When I came here, I’d never blocked against a guy like Travon (Walker) …. or a guy like Azeez (Ojulari). My mindset flipped from high school, where I want to be physical at the point of attack. … My first game here, my first time blocking somebody, it wasn’t really pretty. I was like, I have to flip the switch. My want-to got bigger, my why got bigger, and things like that.”
Washington is more than just an extra offensive tackle, Smart said. His highlight-reel catch at the Scouting Combine provided some enticing evidence of that potential.
“They’re getting a large human being that’s a target that can block and do so many things,” Smart said at Georgia’s pro day. “He’s done a tremendous job. I think his weight was 264 at the Combine. He played at high 270s, even 280s. He’s a much bigger passing threat than people probably understand when he’s at 264. I think he becomes a weapon in that league. He’s such a great target and he’s hard to cover. They’re going to get a really good player on and off the field. Excited to see him do well.”
4. Luke Musgrave, Oregon State
Measureables: 6-5 7/8, 253 pounds, 10 3/8 hands. 4.61 40, 4.41 shuttle, 9.77 RAS.
Stats and accolades: Musgrave caught 47 passes for 633 yards and two touchdowns. Not in 2022 but in his career. A 6-foot-6 ball of potential, he got off to a red-hot start by catching 11 passes for 169 yards (15.4 average) and one touchdown in the first two games of 2022 but missed the rest of the season due to a knee injury.
Analytical stats: For his career, Musgrave caught 47 passes. According to PFF, he averaged 3.38 yards per route in 2022 and 1.38 for his career. He dropped one pass in 2022 and nine for his career, a too-high final rate of 16.1 percent. He used his length to catch 7-of-18 contested catches. He was never much of a threat after the catch, with two career missed tackles and 3.8 YAC per reception. On passes thrown 20-plus yards downfield, he was 3-for-3 in 2022 and 4-for-10 in 2021. In the run game, his blown-block rate was 0.0 percent (0.8 in 2021 and 1.4 in 2020).
Does he fit?: If Utah’s Dalton Kincaid is the best receiving threat in the draft class, then Musgrave has the upside to eventually unseat him.
“I just love the versatility that comes with it,” he told The Draft Network of playing tight end. “You’re not just a receiver. You’re not just an offensive lineman either. You’re a little of both. You have to do both of those at an extremely high level. You have to be able to block these pass rushers that are getting paid millions of dollars to sack the quarterback. You also have to defeat guys in coverage that are getting paid millions of dollars to cover wide receivers. You really have to do both.”
Sports Info Solutions says: Musgrave projects as a starting Y-TE at the next level in a system that allows him to be an inline blocker and run a varied route tree. He can make catches underneath or use his speed to stretch the defense. His blocking is just sufficient at the moment, but he has the traits to develop in that area.
Personal touch: Musgrave is from a legendary Oregon football family. His father, Doug, played quarterback at Oregon and an uncle, Bill, also played quarterback at Oregon before embarking on professional careers as a player and coach.
“You learn so many lessons playing football. It really helps you out in life. From toughness to character, hard work, and dedication, I’ve learned so many valuable lessons along the way,” he told The Draft Network recently.
“One thing I hold near and dear to my heart is the toughness aspect. My dad always told me to never lay down on a football field unless you physically can’t get up. As long as you can stand, never lay down. I’ve never laid down on a field. I take pride in that.”
At Bend (Ore.) High School, Musgrave competed in football, lacrosse, track and ski racing. His mom, Amy, was part of the U.S. developmental ski team in the 1980s.
“I've been skiing since I could walk. It's my mom's big sport,” he said at the Scouting Combine. “It definitely helped me a lot. I can attribute my big legs to it. It really did help me. I've got big quads because of it and I'm thankful I did it. … Football and ski racing were my big sports growing up. So in the winter it was ski racing and in the fall and summer it was football. The fact I was going up there doing something fun and unique was really what got me into it.”
Musgrave is a natural at just about everything he does. After playing golf for eight months, he got himself to a 6.9 handicap. So, he worked himself into a credible blocker at Oregon State because that’s what fit the offense.
“My mindset was I’m going to do whatever I can do to win, and try to be unselfish and work on the thing that I had an opportunity to work on,” Musgrave said at Pac-12 media day.
After missing most of his final season with the knee injury, he returned to action for the Senior Bowl. He was the fastest tight end at the annual all-star game. “I want them to see I am a better player than what I was before my injury,” he told Dawgs By Nature at the game. “I’m completely healthy. I can offer versatility and am a competitor. Some have said I am just a blocker but I’m not. I have a full range of my skill-sets. I can be moved around the formation because that’s where I really shine as a player.”
5. Tucker Kraft, South Dakota State
Measureables: 6-4 3/4, 254 pounds, 10 hands. 4.69 40, 4.29 shuttle, 9.67 RAS.
Stats and accolades: Kraft was a first-team FCS All-American in 2021 with a monster season of 65 receptions for 773 yards (11.9 average) and six touchdowns in 15 games. He tuned out some big-school overtures and returned to SDSU for 2022. In a season detoured by an ankle injury, he caught 27 passes for 348 yards (12.9 average) and three touchdowns in nine games for the FCS national champions.
Analytical stats: None available for the FCS product. According to NFL Draft Bible, he had nine drops and was guilty of nine penalties during the 2020-2021 seasons.
Does he fit?: Kraft is one of the few ready-to-go three-down tight ends in what’s a strong overall class.
“He makes a huge impact,” quarterback Mark Gronowski said before the FCS title game. “He’s one of the best run-blockers on our team. And as a receiver, he changes the game. He’s a huge target – I can put it anywhere within five yards of him and he’ll catch it. And after a catch you know he’s going to get an extra five, 10, 15 yards because he’s so hard to tackle.”
NFL Draft Bible says: Kraft lacks elite speed and burst, but his large frame, upside as a blocker, and ability to win contested catches suggest he’ll contribute to a team in several ways early in his career.
Personal touch: After his All-American 2021, college football’s big fish descended on the small pond that is South Dakota State. Kraft was offered six-figure NIL deals but voted for loyalty rather than his wallet.
“At one point I was one click away from entering my name in the portal,” he told Hero Sports. “But the last few conversations I had … made me realize that I built relationships in the last three years that are insurmountable compared to a six-figure deal to go play somewhere else. And my draft stock isn’t going to rise if I went and played in the SEC or the Pac-12. I was already at that point as a top tight end in the next year’s draft.”
While he didn’t get rich, he did win a national championship.
“There’s a lot of lessons and stories that will be shared from Tucker’s situation,” said coach John Stiegelmeier. “Tucker’s a small-town kid who’s had a great career at South Dakota State, had an opportunity to go on and make a lot of money with other schools and he chose to be loyal and stay committed to South Dakota State football.
"When those things come up in the future we’ll point to Tucker and say, ‘Look what he did and still had an opportunity in the NFL.’ He’s a great teammate and has a great future in football.”
The testing numbers listed above are from the Scouting Combine. He beat them at pro day; his vertical, for instance, went from 34 inches to 36 and he lopped about one-tenth of a second off his 40.
“Well, I wanted to run a faster 40 because that’s where the money is made,” Kraft told The Brookings (S.D.) Register. “I feel like I made myself a little bit of money today. And then I wanted to jump higher because I know I can.”
6. Sam LaPorta, Iowa
Measureables: 6-3 1/4, 245 pounds, 10 1/4 hands. 4.59 40, 4.25 shuttle, 9.01 RAS.
Stats and accolades: LaPorta caught 53 passes for 670 yards and three touchdowns in 2021 and followed that with 58 receptions for 657 yards and one touchdown in 2022. As a senior, he was the Big Ten’s tight end of the year and one of three finalists for the Mackey Award, which goes to the nation’s top tight end. His four-year totals were 153 receptions for 1,786 yards (11.7 average) and five touchdowns. Among Iowa tight ends, he ranks first in catches and second in yards.
Analytical stats: Of 31 tight ends in the 2023 draft class to be targeted at least 28 times in the passing game, he ranked third with 2.16 yards per route run and 23rd with a drop rate of 9.4 percent. He was 6-for-16 in contested-catch opportunities and caught 2-of-6 passes thrown 20-plus yards downfield. He forced a missed tackle on 33 percent of his catches, second-best in the class, with a class-high 20 total misses, and averaged 6.3 yards after the catch. In the run game, his blown-block percentage was 0.0.
Does he fit?: LaPorta does everything at a quality level. You just wish he was a little taller to better handle in-line duties, but he has two years of film showing his mismatch ability as a receiver.
“I think I'm a competitive blocker at the point of attack,” he said at the Combine. “Playing in the Big Ten, playing at Iowa especially, we demand a lot from our tight ends. If you're not going to block, you're not going to be out there. So, I think I'm competitive. I'm 40 or 50 pounds lighter than some of these big defensive tackles or ends that I'm blocking. So, maybe not devastating, but I definitely think I'm competitive and I seem to win a lot with leverage and hand placement.”
NFL Draft Bible says: Height and weight of a traditional in-line tight end. Has also played flexed out and as an H back. Provided yards from underneath and intermediate routes, including crossers, posts, and seven routes. Smooth at the top of his route, showing precision in his footwork. Best blocking comes against defensive backs and linebackers, showing the propensity to seal and create alleys.
Personal touch: LaPorta ranks second in Illinois high school history with 50 career receiving touchdowns. He floated under the recruiting radar; the Hawkeyes learned about him through the coach of the nearby high school that produced A.J. Epenesa.
“He loves football. Like he loves playing. He loves being out there on the field. He enjoys getting his ankles taped,” coach Kirk Ferentz said of LaPorta, who he compared to Dallas Clark. “He kind of likes everything about this, and he's got a real good energy, a good vibe.”
A lot of excellent tight ends have played at Iowa, including Clark, George Kittle, T.J. Hockenson and Noah Fant.
“Everybody has a different story,” Ferentz said. “George Kittle was a skinny guy when he got here, 200 pounds, 205, whatever he was, and found a groove and became a really good player for us. Then he just kept on growing. Noah got here and played as a freshman ... T.J. did redshirt, drove the defense crazy on scout team, made a lot of plays against the defense but never played as a freshman.
“But then Sam was kind of somewhere in between. He was with us last year doing good things on special teams, and with each week, we saw a little bit more and more confidence, and we got a little bit more and more trust in him. Then when we actually started playing him, (he) did some good things, and then he just kept getting better and better. I would venture to say by the end of the year he was a pretty good player for us, and now it's just a continuation of that process.”
Green Bay Packers NFL Draft Coverage
Packers seven-round mock draft 6.0
First-round prospect: Darnell Wright
First-round prospect: Lukas Van Ness
First-round prospect: Jaxon Smith-Njigba
First-round prospect: Darnell Washington
